
6 minute read
Electric Living
ELECTRIFIED LIFESTYLE
Every year brings more and more innovative, efficient uses for electricity in every aspect of home living. From the kitchen to the garage, kilowatts are enhancing the performance of your most valuable tools and appliances. The following are just a few items to help you plug into convenience, safety and quality.
Induction stovetops
For the home chefs out there, an induction range is a valuable addition to your cooking station. The latest kitchen go-to stovetop uses electricity to create a magnetic field that heats iron-based pans and pots from the inside out. You use less electricity, eliminate any open flame and protect your family from accidental burns.
BENEFITS
EFFICIENCY – Induction stovetops are more efficient at transferring heat energy than both gas stoves and electric coils – up to 10%.
COOKING QUALITY – Your meals will be prepared faster and more evenly with an induction stovetop. The elements heat up a pot or pan quickly (you can have a pot of water boiling in two minutes), and you can reduce the heat just as fast. The induction cooktop also beats gas burners for low simmering temperatures for sauces and rice.
SAFETY – Induction stovetops will only heat iron-based pots and pans and will automatically shut off if one is not detected, so you won’t burn yourself on a coil or create a fire hazard. Plus, the technology heats the pan and not the stove itself, so cool-down time is immediate.
Electric lawn care
From mowers to leaf blowers to trimmers, you can now electrify everything in your lawn care toolkit. Each piece of technology has become more powerful and more efficient in the past few years. And as prices continue to drop, homeowners and landscapers are scrambling to fill their garages with the latest corded or batterypowered models.
BENEFITS
QUIET – Electric lawnmowers, trimmers and blowers don’t contain the rumbling machinery and parts of standard gas-powered tools, so you can start your lawn work earlier without disturbing the neighborhood.
LIGHTWEIGHT – With fewer components and no fuel tank, electric mowers and tools are easier to push and carry.
NO FUEL — You never have to worry about running out of fuel in the middle of a mow or storing oil/gas in your garage. Electricity is always ready to reenergize your equipment.
PUSH-BUTTON START – Don’t worry about throwing out your back trying to start your gas-powered mower or trimmer. Electric lawn care tools start with a simple press of a button.
Electric bikes
Electric bicycles (referred to as e-bikes) have recently become one of the trendiest ways to cruise the trails and bike paths. The battery-assisted bikes come in a variety of classes and styles, from moderate pedal-assist to full-throttle power. Whether you need the extra boost to keep up with your kids or to get through uphill, rough terrain, an e-bike is an essential addition to your outdoor gear.
BENEFITS
SWEAT-FREE COMMUTE – Ride your bike to the office or social gathering without breaking a sweat. Pedal assistance allows you to choose how much of a workout you receive, from standard pedaling to full battery power.
EASY CHARGE – Most e-bike varieties either plug into a typical 120-volt wall outlet to charge or work with swappable battery packs. The bikes can typically be charged within three hours for 30-80 miles in assisted range.
SPEED – Standard Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes can assist with pedaling up to 20 mph. Higher-performance Class 3 models have a drive system that will assist up to 28 mph. Always wear your helmet!
ELECTRIC SNOW BLOWERS
Kevin Jeffrey’s story
Kevin Jeffrey is living the retired life in his Grand Forks, N.D., home. As a photographer, he experienced decades of long hours and extreme environments. He hasn’t put the camera away, but he knows it’s time to start taking it (somewhat) easy.
“My doctor told me, ‘No shoveling anymore. If you’re over 50, you shouldn’t be shoveling,’” he said.
Jeffrey took the advice to heart. He picked up an all-electric cordless snow blower to help conquer his region’s ceaseless snow. The EGO POWER+ snow blower is driven by two rechargeable 56-volt lithium batteries, has a 21inch clearing width and can throw snow as far as 35 feet.
The reviews of the technology were outstanding and the specs were impressive, but Jeffrey was still slightly skeptical as he brought it home. The skepticism was shortlived.
“I’ve been really happy with this snow blower,” he said. “It’s exceeded my expectations.”
The benefits of the blower stacked up fast. He’s able to store the lightweight and compact machine in his enclosed front porch during the winter, making it easy to grab and go. “You can’t do that with a gas-powered blower,” he said. “It’s going to smell everything up.”
As Jeffrey got ready to clear off his sidewalk, another electric advantage emerged. “You push a button, push the safety bar, and it’s on. It just goes,” he explained as a quiet hum came off the machine. “And you heard it – it just sounds like a vacuum cleaner. It’s quiet. With gas, the colder it is, the harder it is to start. I’ve had no issues with this.”
With being fume-free, lightweight, easy to start and quiet, electric snow blowers prove that bite doesn’t have to come with bark. Even at single stage (the blowers also come in two-stage options), Jeffrey tears through hardened snow without much effort using his variable-speed control. A recent blizzard brought drifts of up to a foot in his neighborhood. “I was really excited about using it that time, because I was wondering how it would do in deep snow,” he recalled. “Well, it does amazing.” The ease and power of the electric snow blower have inspired the homeowner to expand his charged-up garage. He hopes to use the interchangeable EGO battery system with the purchase of an electric leaf blower and lawn mower when the snow melts. But for now, in true North Dakotan form, he’s using his extra energy for good. “I plan on doing the neighbor’s sidewalks today,” he said with a grin.

– Kevin Jeffrey